“What are you doing tonight?” Chris asked me.
“Nothing planned, I’m off today,” I respond.
“Do you want to go see Donald Trump speak with me?”
“Fuck. Yes.”
Although I share absolutely no philosophical ideals with Donald Trump, I know he is a damned good entertainer. His excessive use of emotional appeals, the elaborate ways in which he can fabricate current events and his effortless approach to provoking a crowd. All confirming one thing I know to be true: Donald Trump is an orator of great measure. And I needed to see him in person.
The 5th GOP Presidential debate was happening at The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas.
The days leading up to the affair had several lower scale events in relation to the main Republican presidential debate, and this is where my opportunity to see Donald Trump speak live arose.
The evening had approached and I pick up Chris. I am wearing my Bernie Sanders pin and plan on wearing it inside the venue. Chris told me not to and suggested that we go in “undercover”. Undercover… I like this idea. Let’s blend in, we can subtly troll a few of the people near us, not cause a scene and simply observe the nonsensical madness guaranteed to ensue.
The first thing we have planned on our docket is to grab a few drinks of the alcoholic variety before we arrive.
Sure, going in sober is an option neither of us would have minded. But, let’s be honest: having a few drinks would enhance the experience. It will take the edge off of any hostile feelings and make us a bit friendlier to other attendees who I may or may not have agreed with on views. And honestly listening to Donald Trump speak for over an hour sober seemed like too meek of a task.
Once inside the Westgate Resort, a compelling collection of people were seen waiting in line to enter the rally. There is an older gentlemen wearing a custom tailored suit, rocking a handlebar mustache and a bolo tie. A young married couple who decided it was appropriate to bring their infant baby, middle-aged soccer moms. And to my surprise, a lot of young people.
The walk inside the ballroom proceeded with extensive searches from TSA. I knew this was a necessary measure considering the controversy that surrounds Trump and his campaign. The ballroom was swarmed with journalists and various media outlets.
“Hey Jude” by The Beatles was blasting on the speakers. I could not help but bask in the irony. Although I am not a scholar of The Beatles’ rhetoric, one could infer that they share very little ideologies with Mr. Trump. Suddenly “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister starts playing and the announcer introduces the one and only Donald Trump.
Trump walked to the podium and the audience started to chant. A sea of camera phones emerged obstructing my view of the stage.
Trump immediately mentions the upcoming debate. He begins trashing his Republican opponents and the media. Not long afterward, Trump jumped to the topic of illegal immigrants and our urgency to build a wall.
I realized I may be a little too drunk for this shit.
He brought out an African American male named Jamiel Shaw to speak about his son who was shot by an undocumented immigrant. Shaw’s testimony ignited the audience with rage. This tactical anecdote used by Trump resonated with me. Wouldn’t this incident be seen as more of an issue with guns? Because one man was killed by an immigrant, that means all immigrants are killers? Despite the fact that American on American shootings is a significantly bigger problem. My criticisms aside, the crowd was riled up. “Send them back!” and “Fuck the immigrants!” my neighbors yell.
An altercation erupted. The commotion was Black Lives Matter protester, Ender Austin III aggressively being ejected out of the rally. “Light the motherfucker on fire!” “shoot him!” and “Sieg heil!” (a nazi-Germany salute) all could be heard. He was instantly escorted out of the building.
Up next on Trump’s docket: Poll numbers, the state of Hilary Clinton’s pantsuits, and the initiative to build a big ass military (paraphrasing, of course). Trump eloquently jumped from one unrelated topic to the next.
Trump’s dialogue chock full of fear soliciting, agenda setting and hate mongering provoked his audience to a full-fledged anarchic state. I felt as if I was in attendance at a WWE match and not a political rally. Although entertaining, Trump’s proposals lacked in substance and logic.
I could not see how this man could be seen as a realistic and credible candidate to become President of the United States.
I’m starting to feel that the joke is on me and everybody else is a cast member of The Truman Show. I listened to him speak for an hour and a half as he bashed Muslims, undocumented immigrants, his opponents, and the rest of the world. What I did not hear was a plan of action, an initiative, or an outline as to how he intends on fixing these matters that he considers problems.
I’ve been to many political rallies over the years and never have I witnessed such chaos. My first political rally was seeing Obama speak in 2008. I was 16 years old. I remember peace signs in the air, not middle fingers. People prospering with one another and a general consensus of solidarity and optimism.
Trump paints a picture of an apocalyptic future. He wants people divided and will make zero compromises.
A night that was planned initially for pure entertainment gold turned into something that made my stomach churn. Chris and I walked out of that room with the new realization that this real.
Jennifer Durnell 